LifeWorks Can Build Great Things with the Help of DPR Construction

LifeWorks wants to say a special thanks to DPR Construction Inc. for donating $13,000 to LifeWorks. DPR hosted The Building Great Things Golf Tournament in October which made this donation possible.

A local builder with national capabilities, DPR Construction, Inc., has been “building great things” in the Southeast since 2000. DPR specializes in technically demanding and sustainable projects in advanced technology, biopharmaceutical, healthcare and corporate office markets and has been recognized for its unique collaborative approach.

Thanks again to DPR! You are helping us build our network of services so that we can do great things for youth and families in the Austin community.

Auction Donations Needed

It’s that time of year again!

On March 7th, LifeWorks will be hosting it’s 16th Annual Academy Award Gala. The best and brightest charitable givers in Austin will be perusing silent auction items throughout the evening with the proceeds helping LifeWorks transition youth and families from crisis to safety and success.

But we can’t do any of this without your help!

You don’t have to be in attendance to donate to our cause. We need auction items donations to ensure our evening is a grand success. All donors will be mentioned in our program and listed on a bid board next to the auction item. Don’t know what to donate? Some sample auction items from last year are:

Kendra Scott Jewels of the Month – Receive a new piece of jewelry every month customized to your style! Value – $1,000

Valentines Too Girls Night Out – Enjoy a private shopping experience for you and 20 guests complete with Hor D’Oeuvres, Cocktails, and a 20% discount. Value – $1,000

Get Dunked – Treat yourself and 3 friends to a game between the San Antonio Spurs  and Washington Wizards. Value – $382

Seem a bit pricey? Don’t worry! LifeWorks strives for a variety of silent auction offerings and we appreciate all donations. Some other donations from last year:

Kids Day Out – 4 tickets to see The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe and a $75 giftcard for clothes, furniture, or toys at Wee. Value – $133

Bailey Solutions Conceirge Services – Treat yourself to 3 hours of professional, personalized conceirge services including but not limited to errands, organization, and project or staff management. Value – $100

We want to say a special thanks to Blue Avocado and Greenling for answering our “Auction Ask” on Facebook last year! Greenling donated a $100 gift certificate for fresh, organic food delivery and Blue Avocado donated an eco-chic shopping kit for the green shopper, valued at $50!

For more information about LifeWorks Academy Awards Gala please click here. To make a donation please email gala@lifeworksaustin.org or call 512-735-2472.

Meet Valerie, a Recent Grad

Hello. Thanks for taking the time to get to know me. I come from a family with little education (my mom only made it to the 6th grade). My parents always encouraged me to go to school, but I guess being young makes you a little less wise sometimes. Now that I’m older, I realize why education is so important.

I just graduated with my GED from LifeWorks. It took me a while to get here, but now that I’m here I only want to continue my education. Austin Community College would be a great place for me to start. I know what it is like to not have an education and to try to make it in the real world because I’ve been there and done that. I am ready to pursue my goals and fulfill my dreams.

After I complete general ACC courses, I would like to enter their floral design program. I currently do not have the financial resources to purchase books and supplies, but I hope to overcome this hardship. With your help, I and other students like me can be where we aspire to be and not where we just have to be.

I am 24 and have a young daughter and I desire a stable and secure life for us — rather than living paycheck to paycheck. I appreciate everyone who helped get me here and only hope LifeWorks can give me a chance to further my education. Thank you for listening to my story. ~ Valerie

You may donate to LifeWorks and help other students like me or learn more about all of their programs by visiting www.lifeworksaustin.org. Thanks!

Ski Into the New Year with LifeWorks

Thursday, December 31, 2009
9:00pm – 2:00am
Clive Bar & Ski Lodge

Don’t have plans set for New Years Eve? Looking for something fun to do with friends? Want to start the New Year on the right track? This New Years Eve, Clive Bar is where it’s at! They will be hosting the Apres Ski New Years Eve event at 9 PM benefitting LifeWorks!

LifeWorks offers a safety net of support to more than 10,000 youth and families every year. LifeWorks housing and homeless services for youth are national models, providing a pathway from street life to self-sufficiency. We are the largest local provider of free and affordable counseling services to youth and families, serving over 10,000 clients a year.

Après-ski (French: after skiing) refers to going out, having drinks, dancing, and  socializing after skiing. The only thing needed to host an event like this is snow, and this New Years Eve, Clive Bar will have 20,000 pounds of REAL snow!

So, don your best furry boots, scarves, and goggles because ski wear is a MUST to get in the door.

Your lift ticket includes access to:
OPEN BAR ALL NIGHT, Snow Fall All Night Long, Hot Tub & Classic Ski Photo Ops, Light Snacks, Rockin’ Music, and a Balloon Release at midnight!

Start the year off feeling proud of yourself! $100 is the price of an awesome party that benefits a great cause. Join us at Clive Bar, 609 Davis Street at 9 PM. We have a snowball waiting with your name on it!

For more information contact:

Heather Newby, LifeWorks Director of Special Events, heather.newby@lifeworksaustin.org

Steve Dombek, sdombekaustin@yahoo.com

Check out the Facebook Page for more detailed payment information.

Or go on Evite right now to buy your tickets through PayPal!

Happy New Year and Auld Lang Syne!

As 2009 comes to a close, the phrase “auld lang syne” – roughly translated to “days gone by” – repeats throughout the night as the New Year begins. To the more than 10,000 individuals that LifeWorks helps each year, 2010 brings hope of a better life: safe and stable shelter; ability to read; chance to be a better parent; or learning the skills needed to make their way through the adult world after a childhood spent in the foster-care system.

As you evaluate where to invest your end-of-year charitable giving, LifeWorks would greatly appreciate your consideration. Here is a list of ways we put your valuable resources to work:
$25 A meal for 10 homeless youth
$50 Educational supplies for at risk middle school youth
$75 Counseling for a domestic abuse survivor or a youth who has witnessed abuse
$125 A parenting education class for teenage mothers and fathers
$250 A week of GED and Literacy classes for teens and adults
$500 A month of supportive housing for a youth who has “aged out” of foster care
$1000 Three months of counseling for a survivor of child abuse; two weeks of shelter for a runaway/homeless youth

We could not provide these essential services and comprehensive support without the generosity of individuals, corporations, and foundations that partner with us to help those less fortunate. To each of you – Happy New Year and Auld Lang Syne!

~LifeWorks

Make a donation today. All donations are tax deductible.

Happy Holidays!

The Holidays are a joyful time rife with holiday parties and spending time with family and friends. Traditions are made and observed. Voices are raised in song. It is truly the most wonderful time of the year.

But one of the best parts of all holiday celebrations is giving gifts to others. These gifts send many different messages. We say, “Thanks for being a great friend”; “You’re a wonderful sister”; “I couldn’t have made it this far without such fantastic parents”; or simply, “I love you”.  Regardless of people’s differences, we all give to those we care for.

At LifeWorks, the atmosphere is no different. We are festive and jolly, and want to thank all who help us give to youth who need a happy holiday. LifeWorks Project Holiday Help will reach 400 families this holiday season! Donors adopt families to whom they give gifts, host holiday parties where volunteers interact with clients, give supplies towards our backpack drive for street outreach, and donate gift cards for a gift card drive.

Our holiday donors give so much more than supplies to youth who need them—they also give compassion.  Your gifts say, “You are cared for.” And that is the greatest of gifts given during the holiday season.

We at LifeWorks want to wish all our donors a safe and happy holiday season!

For more info on how you can share in the holiday spirit,please email Maureen Engle.

Happy Thanksgiving

Are you ready to celebrate Thanksgiving!?

At LifeWorks, we already started! In our merriment, we learned some fun facts about Thanksgiving that we wanted to share with our readers!

Did you know that Thanksgiving was not made an official holiday by Congress until 1941? Though the Pilgrims celebrated it in the 1620s, and Abraham Lincoln declared it a holiday in 1863, the holiday was not recognized by the federal government until 1941. Until then, Thanksgiving was considered a tradition.

Did you know the cranberry is one of three fruits entirely native to North America! The others are the blueberry and the concord grape.

 Did you know the largest pumpkin pie ever baked weighed 2,020 pounds and measured just over 12 feet long?According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it was baked on October 8, 2005 by the New Bremen Giant Pumpkin Growers in Ohio, and included 900 pounds of pumpkin, 62 gallons of evaporated milk, 155 dozen eggs, 300 pounds of sugar, 3.5 pounds of salt, 7 pounds of cinnamon, 2 pounds of pumpkin spice and 250 pounds of crust.

Did you know that  Snoopy has appeared as a balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade more times than any other character? The flying ace made his sixth appearance in 2006.

The first time the Detroit Lions played the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving was in1934? They have played them every year since, except for a brief period between 1939 and 1944.

The first Thanksgiving celebration was a symbol of cooperation and interaction between those who had and those who had not. Every year, we remember not only the gift of the meal, but the gift survival taught to the Pilgrims by the Native Americans. So, there is no more perfect holiday than this, to say thanks to those that make what we do possible.We could not achieve anything without our wonderful donors and volunteers. You are the backbone of what we do, and you make it possible for us to teach those less fortunate about surviving in this world. On this Thanksgiving, LifeWorks gives thanks for you.

For more fun facts about Thanksgiving and other holidays, visit the History Channel.

Providing Hope and Promise

Join I Live Here I Give Here for lunch at 12 PM on November 16th  for a Community Spotlight forum on youth in crisis.

Thousands of Youth in Central Texas face enormous obstacles to becoming healthy, productive adults. Youth advocates agree more should be done to offer hope and opportunity, providing at risk youth the means to build strong relationships with caring adults and the tools to achieve a better life.

$10 is all that is necessary to come learn about youth in crisis and the mission and needs of area non-profits working actively to answer their cries for help.

LifeWorks transitions youth and families from crisis to safety and success by providing a comprehensive network of counseling, education and housing programs. Check here to see a full list of area non-profits and their wish lists.

Join us, have lunch and learn!

November 16, 2009

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Mexi-Arte Museum

(419 Congress Ave.)

$10 includes lunch.

Space is limited, so please RSVP at: rsvp@ilivehereigivehere.org

For more information contact I Live Here I Give Here.

Anything But Clothes

If you’re looking for some fun this weekend, join LifeWorks and Captiv8 Promotions at Stompin Grounds Coffee and Cocktail Lounge at 8PM for the “Anything But Clothes” Fundraiser and Holiday Drive! This night of fashion will feature attendees constructing attire from recycled and repurposed materials including bubble wrap, newspaper, cardboard, and magazines!

If that doesn’t sound like enough fun, there will be a complimentary dessert bar offering three delicious flavors from the Yogurt Spot, and drink specials all night!

There will also be prize raffles for Ipods, gift cards, and a free bar tab. A silent auction will also be held, featuring an Ibanez Guitar autographed by Colbie Calliat!

The best part is, the event benefits a good cause! LifeWorks representatives will be at the event to give information about the LifeWorks mission and volunteer opportunities in the community.

How do you get into an event this awesome? It’s simple! A $5 minimum donation is being accepted at the door, but guests are also encouraged to donate in-kind gifts such as backpacks, clothing, and giftcards to H-E-B, Target, or WalMmart.

So join LifeWorks and Captiv8 Promotions on Friday, November 6 from 8PM to 11PM at Stomping Grounds Coffee and Cocktail Lounge for truly good fun! For More information, check out Do512 and Unreal360 or email development@lifeworksweb.org

Meet Colbie Caillat

LifeWorks has meet and greet passes! Each donation you make to LifeWorks today, Oct 22, will enter you into a drawing for a chance to win passes to meet Colbie Caillat.

Winners will be notified by phone and will be invited along with a guest to meet Colbie after tonight’s performance at Stubb’s. Drawing will take place after 5pm.

Enter now.
A special thanks to captiv8 productions, and Colbie Caillat and team.